Teachers Hold up the Sky

by Nicole Johnston

November is Gratitude Month at The Worthy Educator!

As a history teacher and department chair, I often spend my days immersed in the sweep of time, tracing the arc of events, decisions, and ideas that have shaped our world. I spend hours poring over lesson plans, curricula, and the intellectual journeys of students. Yet, in the midst of this broader view, I have found myself increasingly aware of something smaller, quieter, and profoundly sustaining: gratitude.

Today, I pause to reflect on the work that each of my department members does day in and day out. I truly believe that teachers hold up the sky, and while I am not in their classrooms every day, I see the fruits of their work everywhere. I see it in the way students engage with history, the thoughtful questions they ask, and the confidence they build over time. I see it in the culture they create. A culture where every student feels seen, heard, and valued. Education is one of those fields where gratitude for all they do is not often given. The long hours, sleepless nights, and showing up the way they all do does not go unnoticed.

This year, I have felt a deep and abiding gratitude for my department members. In our meetings, they bring intellect, care, and creativity that continually inspire me. We wrestle with questions of content and pedagogy, debate how best to approach complex topics, and support each other as we navigate the demands of teaching. These meetings, sometimes long and occasionally exhausting, are also rich with ideas, laughter, and collaboration. They remind me that professional life is not just about tasks and deadlines. It’s about community, and the people who make the work meaningful.

Yet it is often the smaller interactions that resonate most. A quick check-in in the hallway, a thoughtful question about a lesson, a shared laugh over a minor frustration. These fleeting moments may seem inconsequential, but they accumulate. They create a web of connection that sustains us through the busy rhythms of the school year. They remind me that small moments count most. In history, we often focus on big events, sweeping movements, and turning points. But it is in the small, everyday gestures, whether in the lives of people in the past or the colleagues around us, that lasting impact is most often found.

There is no question that being a teacher these past few years has been big work. Teachers do the most important work with young people: helping them grow as learners and as human beings. I appreciate my department members for knowing and being responsive to students, for giving critical feedback and encouragement, for being both caring and firm, for sharing their passion for history and for making their courses safe, vibrant, and engaging places to learn.

Gratitude, I have learned, is not passive. It requires noticing. Pausing amid the rush of work and acknowledging what is present, the effort, care, and thoughtfulness of others. As a department chair, it is tempting to focus solely on curriculum revisions, student assessments, and departmental goals. But taking time to recognize the contributions of my colleagues transforms the energy of our work. It turns obligations into acts of collaboration and support and occasionally gives me a legitimate excuse to step away from grading for five minutes without guilt.

This practice of gratitude is not only about others; it also teaches me about myself. I am reminded of what I value most: curiosity, integrity, and dedication. I see these qualities reflected in you, and in recognizing them, I reinforce their importance in my own professional life. Gratitude deepens my awareness of the gifts that surround me, not just tangible accomplishments, but generosity of spirit, the willingness to listen, and the commitment to our shared mission. It is in these subtle, often overlooked gifts that I find the truest sources of satisfaction and joy.

Reflecting on the year, I am reminded of specific moments: thoughtful feedback during a curriculum discussion, a brief smile shared in passing, the unspoken understanding when one of us faces a challenging day. Both large and small, these moments weave together to create the fabric of our departmental life. They remind me that gratitude does not require grand gestures. It lives in the ordinary acts of care and attention we sometimes take for granted. And occasionally, it lives in the perfectly timed sarcastic comment that makes everyone laugh and keeps us sane.

I’ve also been thinking a little about Stoic philosophy, which reminds us to notice and appreciate what is good rather than taking it for granted. While I don’t meditate quite like Marcus Aurelius or Epictetus (and I definitely don’t always have their patience), I try to pause, reflect, and acknowledge the goodness around me.

This year, I am profoundly grateful for my department, not only for their expertise and dedication but for the kindness, humor, and thoughtfulness that make our community so vibrant. I am grateful for both the structured work of our meetings and the spontaneous, fleeting moments that remind me of the simple joys of connection. And I am grateful for the opportunity to witness, participate in, and learn from these moments every day.

In the end, gratitude is both a lens and a practice. It shapes how we see the world, how we relate to others, and how we experience our own lives. By noticing, acknowledging, and expressing gratitude, we cultivate not only our own sense of meaning but also the well-being and resilience of those around us. In recognizing the gifts of this year, both large and small, I am reminded that small moments count most, and that the practice of gratitude can transform the ordinary into something extraordinary.

Nicole Johnston is a veteran Upper School History Department Chair for the Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child in Summit, New Jersey, and a Civics and Politics Teacher with One Schoolhouse, based in Washington, D.C. She is an honoree of Women Who Rock by Hackensack Meridian Health, an ASCD Emerging Leader, a National Association of Independent Schools Teacher of the Future, and Teacher of the Year by the Knights of Columbus. You can contact her via email here.

-------------------

AVAILABLE NOW!

THE PERFECT RESET TO A CAREER AND A LIFE OF GRATITUDE!

Just published by The Worthy Educator Press!

School Seasons xSELeratED:

A Year of Community and Collective Growth for Educators, written by our

Team xSELeratED: Leigh Reagan Alley,

Heather Lageman & Walter McKenzie

A a monthly guide of reflexive practices that span the entire school year, designed not to be something extra, but as an essential companion for educator well-being, growth and fulfillment!

SEL culture, and instructional routines can work together as mutually reinforcing practices, and this is your companion to make it happen! School Seasons xSELeratED offers month-by-month playbooks aligned to our xSELeratED Schools Framework, pairing ready-to-use micro-moves with gentle, human-centered rituals that protect your energy while building your momentum!

Get Your Copy!